(New York) World No. 3 Daniil Medvedev of Russia advanced to the second round of the U.S. Open on Tuesday, easily beating Hungary’s Attila Balazs 6-1, 6-1, 6-0.

Medvedev will face in the second round the winner of the duel between Australians Max Purcell (N.43) or Christopher O’Connell (69th in the world).

Facing the 34-year-old Hungarian, whose best ATP ranking (76th) dates back to 2020, Medevedev made the entry break to lead 2-0 and win the first set 6-1. He gave his opponent little more chance in the next two rounds to finish the game in 1:14.

Winner at Flushing Meadows in 2021, beating Djokovic, whom he had deprived of the Grand Slam that season, the 27-year-old Russian is considered one of the few who can disrupt the expected scenario of a new confrontation in the final between the 36-year-old Serb and Carlos Alcaraz, 20.

The draw put Medvedev in the table for the Spaniard, who enters contention on Tuesday night, and they could meet in the semi-finals.